Changes to the mutual obligations scheme, contained in the federal budget, will ease the rules that govern when a person’s payments are suspended, meaning job seekers will have a five-day grace period – rather than 48 hours – to account for missing employment services appointments and other activities before their income support is cut off.

Welfare recipients who work 30 hours or more per fortnight will also be protected from having their payments suspended for failing to attend an appointment at an employment services provider – a change intended to prevent them from effectively being punished for having paid work.